Retainer for d-rings of parachute harnesses



Nov. 19, 1946. F. G. MANSON RETAINER FOR D-RING OF PARACHUTE HARNESSFiled Aug. 30, 1944 Patented Nov. 19, 1946 UNITED. STATES PATENT ()FFICERETAINER 1 FOR D-RINGS OF- PARACHUTE HARNESSES. r

The invention relates to hooking ringsfor. webs or straps and moreparticularly to means for 'at-' taching hooking rings to webs or strapsin order that there may be convenient access to the .hook-. ing rings atall times, and the. invention has for one object the provision ofimproved means of i thi character.

Although the invention is not limited thereto;

it' is particularly applicable to and will beidescribed in connectionwith parachute harnesses and the like, such as are employed byparachutists; aviators and airplane passengers. It will be ,ap-l parentto those skilled in the art that changes may be made'withoutdepartingfrom the true.

spirit and scope of the invention; to adapt the invention for use onstraps,.belts, andfsimilar de-1 vices wherever it is "desirable toprovide convenient access to a'hooking ring.

Parachute harnesses'are provided withhooking rings to whichadditionalequipment is attached,

usually by quick release connectors. Sucha hook-- ing ring iscommonlyknown as a D-ring." Here: tofore such a ring has been attached to theparachute harness by stitching or other well known securing means,allowing the ring to dangl in random positions relative to the harnesswebbing to which it is attached. This dangling of the usual D-ring makesit often difficult to fasten to and release therefrom a quick releaseconnector. It is readily perceivable that activities involvingparachutes require rapid manipulation of the release connectorsco-operating with the booking or D-rings and, accordingly, it is afurther object of the invention to provide improved hooking attachmentmeans for maintaining positively the hooking ring or D-ring outwardlyextended from the webbing or strap to which the ring is attached.

In carrying out the invention in one form, a D-shaped ring having anintegral bridging portion is attached to a strap or web. A rigid orstiff loop-shaped member to maintain the ring extending outwardly fromthe strap or web passes through holes provided in the bridging portionand extends paralllel to th plane of the web or strap, tape means beingstitched around said loop-shaped portion to attach it firmly to the webor strap.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should behad to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is an elevational viewof the web and D- ring embodying the invention in assembled relation;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 andshowing a release snap attached .f to the D-ring;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view takenzalong line. B -3 of Fig. ,2,.therelease snap beingomitted; 1

Fig.4 is aperspective View partially insectionrand partially inelevation showing the elements in" partially assembled relationship;and.

Fig. .5 shows a modification of the 1oop. e1ement.':

Referring now to the drawing, the invention isshown as embodying a webor straplilwhich" mayformpart of a parachute harness'or the like towhich .a substantially D-shaped ring I t 'ofany suitable material. suchas Duralumin isattached bya loop of webbing I4 stitc'hedto the weblEias; shown. The ring II is provided with a base por= tion l2 and anintegral. "bridging portion; 13,

through which holes I5 areqformed; the axis of" the. holes beingsubstantially atright angles .to the plane of the.ring..

A; tilt-restraining member I5 .whose .function will'be more fullexplained hereinafter comprises a: loop member hailing two integrallyformed prongs I I and L' I 8 space'dfrom "eachother 'so as-to fitconveniently'into the holes *I 5 and "another hollow loop member I9having two integrally formed hollow prongs 2G and 2| spaced to fit overand telescope upon the ends of the prongs IT! and I3, as shown (Fig. 1),to form a closed loop.

Co-operating with the tilt-restraining member I 6 to maintain the D-ringl I substantially at right angles to the web I0 is a tape 22 consistingof a generally rectangular piece of fabric having cutout portion 23 toaccommodate the inner loop of the D-ring l I, the edges 24 and 25 of thetape being stitched to the web Iii, as shown (Fig. 1), to form a pocket21 surrounding the restraining member I6.

Assembly of the structure is as follows: the webbing I4 is placed aroundthe base portion l2 of the D-ring II and is stitched to the web ID. Thetape '22 is placed over the D-ring II with the ring protruding throughthe cut-out portion 23, and the side edges 24 of the tape22 are stitchedto the web II), the ends 25 of the tape being left unstitched. Thepocket formed by the tape 22 stitched only at its edges is heldoutwardly by any suitable means, which may be the hands of the user, andthe tilt-restraining member I6 is placed inside of the pocket with theprongs I? and I8 through the openings I5 in the bridging portion l3. Tocomplete the tilt-restraining member, the hollow loop I9 is telescope'dover the p s l1 and I8, following which the ends 25 of he tape arestitched to the web It forming a closed pocket 21 enclosing thetilt-restraining loop "3.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 5, a hollow loop member29 corresponding to the loop member [9 of Figs. 1 to 4 is provided witha prong 30, a portion of which is cut away to facilitate the insertionof the prongs l1 and 18 into the hollow prong 30 and the prong 3| of theloop member 29 after the prongs l1 and I8 have been inserted through theopenings l5 of the D-ring and inside of the tape 22 stitched by itsedges 24 to the webbing ill. The prong 3| of the loop member 29 isinserted over the corresponding end of the prong l8, after which theloop portion 29 is rotated until the cutaway portion of the prong 30comes into registry with the prong I! which moves into the cutawayportion, whereupon the loop portion 29 is pushed into a completelyclosed position to form the tiltrestraining member l9. This will obviateany fumbling of the user in attempting to match the prongs l1 and I8with the hollow prongs of the second loop portion.

It will be clear by reference to Fig. 2 that the D-ring ll, althoughhaving some freedom of movement which is limited by the flexibility of Vthe tape 22, is maintained outwardly spaced from the web l0 so thataccess to it is at all times convenient.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will beunderstood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto sincemany modifications may be made, and I therefore contemplate by theappended claims to cover any such modifications as come within the truespirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In combination with a flexible fabric strap, a D-ring fastened tosaid strap, means for holding said D-ring outwardly from said strap,said means comprising a member integral with said D-ring and havingopenings therethrough sub- 4 stantially at right angles to the plane ofsaid D-ring, a non-flexible loop-shaped tilt-restraining memberextending through said openings and a second non-flexible loop-shapedmember fitting over the ends of said first loop-shaped member to form aclosed loop, and means for holding said tilt-restraining member to saidstrap.

2. In combination with a flexible fabric strap, a D-ring fastened tosaid strap, tilt-restraining means forholding said D-ring extendingoutwardly from said strap, said tilt-restraining means comprising amember integral with said D-ring and having a pair of openingstherethrough and a two pronged non-flexible restraining member extendingthrough said openings substantially parallel to said strap, and meansfor holding said restraining member to said strap.

3. In combination with a flexible fabric strap, a D-ring fastened tosaid strap, means for holding said D-ring outwardly from said strap,said means comprising amember integral with said D-ring and havingopenings therethrough substantially at right angles to the plane of saidD-ring, a non-flexible loop-shaped tilt-restraining member extendingthrough said openings and. a second non-flexible loop-shaped memberfitting over the ends of said first loop-shaped member to form aclosedloop, and a fabric covering surrounding both saidnon-fiexibleloops for holding said tilt-restraining member to saidstrap.

4. In combination with a flexible strap, a

D-ring fastened to said strap, said D-ring in cluding a pair of openingstherethrough substantially at right angles to the plane ofsaid ring,

a non-flexible tilt-restraining member having a pair of prongs extendingthrough said openings for holding said ring outwardly of said strap, andmeans for holding said restraining member to said strap.

FRANK G. MANSON. I p

